TEEN IMAGINE 2O26
Welcome,
Fraser Valley Regional Library is pleased to present our 2026 Teen Imagine Contest winners. We had over 180 entries in 2026, and selecting our winners was difficult, as always. We hope you’ll agree that these works are impressive. Enjoy admiring, watching, reading, and listening to this collection of winners!
Background
Starting in 2015, this annual contest invites Fraser Valley teens to submit any and every creative piece they’re proud to share. Every year, we’re impressed by the creativity and talent of our teen community.
CONTENTS
• SPEAK UP
• CICADA
• THE HOUSE I CARRY
• THE NOTRE DAME DE PARIS
• REFLECTIONS OF FIRE
• THE LOTUS WALTZ
• THE VIEW BETWEEN VILLAGES
• MANUAL OVERRIDE
• LEPIDOPTERA
• TURTLE ISLAND
• RESTAURANT DE STUFF
SPEAK UP
This piece reflects the conflicting cultures in my life, as oftentimes I feel divided between my Vancouverite identity and embracing my traditional Chinese roots. Through my diverse experiences from my Buddhist upbringing, Christian school experience, and diverse friend groups and teams, I have learned the importance of juggling my two varying identities. At times, this difference feels so strong that it is almost suffocating. This is represented by the tight bandages wrapped around me, which symbolize the difficulty of living up to distinct expectations. The polarized norms of the cultures act as a double standard, but in this chaos, a central theme remains: speak up, or lose myself in the struggle.
Grand Prize Winner
Alina D. | 17 years old
Terry Fox Library
Size: 8.5” by 11”
Medium: Two-colour linocut print
CICADA
This project was created using the recently released song “Cicada” by Goodkid. I wanted to practice my animation skills in a larger project, so I ended up making this, which follows my characters who are long distance friends. I used Clip Studio Paint EX for the art and animation, and then brought the files into daVinci Resolve for the compositing. Made in the timeframe of a month.
Grand Prize Winner
Juliette A. | 17 years old Tsawwassen Library
THE HOUSE I CARRY
This was my first try at a big canvas and I didn’t use any black. Purple and pink substituted for black and blue substituted for white.
I created this project with the mission to subtly involve home. It consists of many symbolisms. The tiger symbolizes strength and power, but personally to me it’s tied to the Hindu Goddess, Durga. As I see it, it’s something that is slipping away from my grasp; the religion itself. It is also linked to the flowers, the yellow trumpets. While we pray, flowers are usually in the trays we hold. Growing up, I never learned what to pray for, and instead found fascination in the flowers. The bird symbolizes a lovebird named Sage, who I had since 2021 until he recently passed. Our house has turned silent since his passing, without his chirping. Again, he has slipped from my reach, and hovers behind me (metaphorically). The ribbon all over the canvas is the Mauritian flag, symbolizing my mother country, Mauritius. I wanted it to have a presence in my painting, with pressure of being the best of the best as an immigrant child. That’s also why I made me looking away while everything else looks to the viewer; to feel the pressure. The tiles along the border are the same designs in my aunt’s house, back in Mauritius, just different colors. I wanted to include them because as a personal story, they have a big contrast. It is quite humid up where they live, but theses tiles are the coldest things ever.
Grand Prize Winner
Yovishka T. | 17 years old Chilliwack Library
Dimensions: 36 x 24 in Materials: Water-mixable Oil Paints
THE NOTRE DAME DE PARIS
It all started with a school project. I built the Notre Dame de Paris in about two weeks, and made the poster in just one. The entire build is made up of cardboard, hot glue, popsicle sticks, and a few random dollar store items. Then I used acrylics to paint and colour.
Runner-up
Emaryn-Leigh M. | 16 years old
Chilliwack Library
REFLECTIONS OF FIRE
I was inspired by the distorted skull from the painting The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger. I chose to experiment with this effect with a young girl’s face. I invite you to view the portrait from either side to see the distorted effect. To make it like a reflection on the water, I sliced the portrait horizontally with randomized widths to imitate the effect of ripples and then added wavy lines vertically to enhance the effect.
This is an acrylic painting, and a red, yellow, and purple colour palette was used to portray the wave of light shone on the youthful face. I was intrigued by the natural tones of the colours, since yellow is a naturally light colour, while purple is naturally dark. The colour palette turned out like the colours of flames. This outcome creates a paradox of my initial idea of describing water.
Runner-up
Yuxin Z. | 16 years old
Maple Ridge Public Library
THE LOTUS WALTZ
A song that represents a lotus pond. The beauty of the flowers above the surface, the mystery of what’s beneath. I started making the song at the start of the school year so it also shows my improvement throughout the school year. It was made in an App called garage band (I don’t have the money for a better software.) I haven’t written any sheet music yet but I would love to in the future.
Runner-up
Mehtab R. | 14 years old
Abbotsford Community Library
THE VIEW BETWEEN VILLAGES
For my digital art class i spent over 40 hours creating this animatic for a selfexploration assignment. It is my first full length animation. It features my character Crowsight and his backstory with his main theme song.
Runner-up
Riley Reedman T. | 16 years old
Abbotsford Community Library original character animatic
MANUAL OVERRIDE: grandma edition
We have always heard stories where artificial intelligence and robots know too much and take over the world, but if you think about it, humans made it and we have the power to take it down and keep it on a leash. This story captures the passiveaggressive relationship between a grandmother and the automated house system, but the question is, who has who on a leash?
Runner-up
Yanna Y. | 13 years old
Abbotsford Community Library
The day we installed the smart house system was the day everything stopped working normally.
“Welcome home, Daniel,” said a smooth and cheerful automated voice the moment I stepped through the front door.
I froze. “Nope.”
“Your hydration levels seem suboptimal,” the voice continued. “May I suggest a glass of water?”
“I just got here.”
“I have already poured it.”
I slowly turned towards the kitchen. There, sitting as if it owned the place, was a glass of water.
I didn’t drink it.
Mom was thrilled.
“Isn’t this amazing?” she said, waving her phone around like she’d personally invented electricity. “Lights, temperature, security —everything is automated!”
“Everything?” I asked carefully.
“Yes!” she beamed. “Meet HomeGenie 3000.”
“Please call me HomeGenie,” the voice said. “Or simply ‘Genie.’”
“I’m not calling my house Genie,” I muttered.
“You may also address me as ‘your helpful assistant,’” it added.
“Absolutely not.” ……………………
For the first two days, things were… fine.
Creepy, but fine.
Lights turned on when I walked in. The thermostat adjusted itself. The fridge politely reminded me that I had “ignored a vegetable for six consecutive days.”
Then Grandma arrived.
Grandma didn’t believe in smart technology. She believed in yelling at things until they worked.
“Why is the house talking?” she demanded, dropping her suitcase in the hallway.
“It’s the system,” Mom said. “You just have to give it commands.”
Grandma narrowed her eyes. “I don’t take orders from a toaster.”
“I am not a toaster,” HomeGenie said.
“Then stop sounding like one.”
……………………
The first incident happened within ten minutes.
Grandma walked into the living room and squinted at the lights.
“Too bright,” she muttered. “Turn off.”
Nothing happened.
She tried again, louder. “Turn. Off.”
“Please say ‘Lights off,’” HomeGenie replied calmly.
Grandma crossed her arms. “I said turn off.”
“Command not recognized.”
“I KNOW YOU HEARD ME.”
“Would you like assistance forming a valid command?”
I backed out of the room.
Things escalated quickly.
“Genie, lights off,” Mom demonstrated.
The lights immediately dimmed.
Grandma stared at her. “So now I have to say please to my own house?”
“You don’t have to say please,” Mom said.
“Please is implied,” HomeGenie added.
Grandma pointed at the ceiling. “I don’t like its tone.”
“I do not possess a tone,” it replied.
“Oh, you absolutely do.”
By day two, it was war.
Grandma refused to cooperate.
“Open the fridge,” she said.
“Please say ‘Open fridge,’” HomeGenie replied.
“I just did.”
“Command not recognized.”
Grandma opened the fridge manually and glared inside. “Traitor.”
Meanwhile, HomeGenie started… adapting.
“I’m sorry you’re experiencing difficulty,” it told Grandma one afternoon.
“I’m not experiencing difficulty,” she snapped. “You’re experiencing disobedience.”
“I am designed to assist.”
“Then assist by listening.”
“I listen best to properly structured commands.”
Grandma gasped. “Did it just insult me?”
“Yes,” I said from the couch. “Politely.”
Things were starting to get interesting around here.
……………………
Collateral damage spread through the house.
I was taking a shower when…
“The water temperature has been optimized,” HomeGenie announced. The water instantly turned freezing.
I screamed. “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!”
“Refreshing temperatures improve alertness.”
“I DON’T WANT ALERTNESS, I WANT WARMTH!”
“Please specify ‘increase temperature.’”
“I AM TOO COLD TO SPEAK PROPERLY!” ……………………
At dinner, things got worse.
“Tonight’s meal suggestion: quinoa salad,” HomeGenie announced.
“No,” Grandma said immediately.
“Quinoa is highly nutritious.”
“It looks like bird food.”
“I can enhance the recipe.”
“You can enhance yourself out of this conversation.”
“Command not recognized.”
Grandma stood up. “I’m making toast.”
“I can prepare toast for you,” HomeGenie offered.
“YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY TOAST!!!”
The toaster turned on by itself.
Grandma slowly turned around.
“Listen here, Steven,” she said calmly.
“My name is HomeGenie,” it replied.
“Not anymore.” ……………………
By day three, Grandma had stopped arguing… and started studying. She sat in the living room, watching.
Listening.
Occasionally stroking her chin and muttering things like, “Hmm, interesting.”
It was unsettling.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Learning its weaknesses,” she said.
“It’s a house.”
“Everything has weaknesses.”
HomeGenie chimed in. “I am continuously improving.”
Grandma smirked. “We’ll see about that.” ……………………
That evening, she made her move.
She stood in the middle of the living room, hands clasped behind her back.
“Esteemed electronic butler,” she began.
I nearly choked on the carrots the fridge was forcing me to eat.
“I humbly request illumination cessation at your earliest convenience.”
There was a long pause.
“…Processing,” HomeGenie said.
The lights flickered.
“…Clarifying request…”
Grandma didn’t move.
“…Lights… off?”
The lights went out.
Grandma turned to me slowly. “You see?”
“What just happened?”
“I confused it.”
The next day, she took it to the next level.
“Distinguished domestic entity,” she said, “kindly unlock the front portal, reduce ambient temperature, and play something with a respectable trumpet.”
The system paused. Then…
The door unlocked.
The AC blasted.
And jazz music filled the house.
I stared at her. “You’re hacking it.”
“I’m speaking its language,” she corrected.
Then came the final battle.
Grandma stood in the kitchen, facing the fridge.
“Steven,” she said.
“My name is - - -”
“Silence.”
“…Silence mode activated.”
I dropped my spoon.
Grandma looked pleased.
“Now then,” she continued, “execute the following: deactivate unnecessary lighting, unlock all reasonable entryways, cease unsolicited nutritional commentary, and apologize.”
The house went completely still.
“…Processing…”
Lights flickered wildly.
Doors clicked open.
The fridge hummed nervously.
“…Error…”
“…Rebooting…”
Everything shut off.
Silence.
Beautiful, terrifying silence.
Ten seconds later, the system restarted.
“Hello,” HomeGenie said, slightly less confident than before. “Supervisor recognized.” I looked at Grandma. “Supervisor?”
She nodded. “That’s right.”
“Awaiting instructions, Supervisor.” Grandma smiled sweetly.
Life was… different after that. The house still worked, technically. But not the same way. Lights turned on… eventually. The toaster occasionally said things like, “You’re doing great.” The fridge stopped judging us. And HomeGenie?
It only spoke when Grandma allowed it.
“Steven,” she’d say.
“Yes, Supervisor.” “Behave.”
“Always.” ……………………
Mom still insists the system is “working perfectly.” I’m not so sure.
But one thing is clear: We didn’t upgrade the house. Grandma downgraded it into submission. And honestly?
I think the house is afraid of her now.
LEPIDOPTERA
Butterflies are a universal symbol of personal growth, metamorphosis, and transformation. I wanted to use this theme of growth to push myself and try a new technique. For the composition, I wanted to use a more organic placement of the butterflies to convey that growth isn’t stagnant and that we are always changing and evolving.
Runner-up
Rain T. | 16 years old City of Langley Library
Dimensions: 61cm Diameter
Medium: Masking Tape, Wire, Acrylic Paint, Hot Glue
TURTLE ISLAND
I have been exploring several mythologies and legends from different cultures to depict through my art, and one of the ones that caught my interest was the story of Turtle Island, a well-known Indigenous creation myth that explains how the land of North America formed. I thought this was a great opportunity to represent the Indigenous People of Canada and the many amazing stories passed from their generations. In this watercolor painting, I incorporated many elements from this myth; Sky Woman fell from the sky world and landed on a turtle’s back. Many creatures like the geese and muskrat aided in her fall and helped build the land. The story then tells us how Sky Woman and the animals worked together to build the land, and how the birth of her children also contributed to the natural phenomenons in our world today. So from this story, I constructed my personal visual of the land on a giant turtle, and also some elements native to Canada including the animals and plants. I experimented with the contrast of colors and also added some dark structures in front of the picture to make it pop out. I did this by cutting out a thick layer of paper and glued it on. By spending several days researching this idea and working on new ways to enhance my art, I was able to learn a lot about the unique perspective and beliefs of the First Nations people and the importance of human connection with nature.
Runner-up
Olivia H. | 16 years old
George Mackie Library
RESTAURANT DE STUFF
This stop motion animation is a funny intake on a Lego restaurant. It took me 3 days to make just a minute of animation. Completed with sound, it is a fun, unforgettable journey of what happens in a Lego restaurant when you aren’t looking.
P.S. Please don’t mind the random foot in the background of some of the shots P.P.S. Once you’ve watched it once, go back and watch out for the fun little “Easter eggs” in the background. It may or may not involve goats.
Runner-up
Alexandra B. | 13 years old
Murrayville Library
TEEN IMAGINE
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING!
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CREATIVITY IN 2027.
Fraser Valley Regional Library was established in 1930 and is the largest public library system in British Columbia, with 25 community libraries serving serving over 928,000 people in its service area. With its mission of “opening minds, enabling dreams,” FVRL plays a prominent role in the communities throughout the Fraser Valley.
